Sheedy: Dubs need playmaker in Brogan mould

Former Dublin footballer Jack Sheedy warns the Division 1 winners have yet to find a playmaker to step into the boots of injured Alan Brogan.

The 2011 Footballer of the Year is out of the county’s Leinster quarter-final against Carlow or Westmeath on June 1 and Ger Brennan last week suggested he could be sidelined for the remainder of the season with a long-standing groin injury.

Sheedy, who was part of the last Dublin team to win a Division 1 league title 20 years ago, is concerned Dublin, as good as they have been this spring, don’t have a player who can pick holes in defences like the eldest Brogan brother.

“I don’t think we’ve found someone who operates in the same way as Alan,” admitted Sheedy. “He makes so much happen for Dublin.

“Collectively, the team may take care of that playmaking issue. Everybody is contributing, you have Mick Macauley and Cian O’Sullivan darting forward but I really would like to see someone in Alan’s mode coming in.

“Paul Flynn will have a huge bearing on what happens with Dublin this year because he’s such a good all-round footballer and is involved in an awful lot of what happens.

“You’d think Bernard [Brogan] and [Paul] Mannion will be in the full-forward line come the championship but who will they play at 14? Paddy Andrews’ performances in terms of scoring in the last few games haven’t been as high even though he’s still contributing.”

Sheedy also has concerns about what pairing Dublin will field in the middle.

“My only fear for Cian O’Sullivan is that he’s too much of a utility player who is either a support runner or an auxiliary defender. He’s had a really good year so far but Dublin are going to need two good midfielders. It’s the one area that has been the weakest in the league. Jim might decide to continue with one ball winner and one runner but I think you might need Denis Bastick there as well as Macauley.”